Universal blade mounting system for an all terrain vehicle

ABSTRACT

A universal blade mount is provided for securing or attaching the rearward ends of push tubes of a blade structure to the A-arm suspensions of an ATV. The mount includes a pair of telescoping tubes which enable the mount to be narrowed or widened depending upon the particular ATV being utilized. Further, the telescopic connection of the two tubes enables the accommodation of suspension travel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a blade mounting system for an all terrain vehicle and more particularly to a universal blade mounting system for use with an all terrain vehicle (ATV) which enables a blade to be secured to the ATV A-arm suspension regardless of the make or model thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

The assignee of this invention has manufactured blades for ATVs for many years with the blades being used to plow snow, dirt, etc. In the blade attachment devices of assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,843,002 and 6,957,505, the rearward ends of the push tubes 24 and 26 have their rearward ends pivotally secured to the frame of the ATV by a pin or pins in conventional fashion. The configuration of the rearward ends of the push tubes 24 and 26 in assignee's previous blade attachments disclosed in the above-identified patents must be configured to fit a particular make and model of ATV. In other words, the design of the push tubes must be changed for each particular ATV to which it is being attached.

One “universal” blade mounting system for ATVs is marketed by Swisher Mower and Machine Company, Warrensburg, Mo. 64093. The prior art device of Swisher Mower and Machine incorporates a long tube that runs to the back of the ATV and is attached to the rear hitch with brackets mounted to the A-arm suspension for side to side stability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A universal blade mounting system is disclosed for attaching a blade, including first and second push tubes having rearward and forward ends, to an off-road vehicle such as an all terrain vehicle (ATV) having first and second front wheels which are supported by first and second A-arm suspensions. The mounting system of this invention includes an elongated first hollow tube having first and second ends and having first and second brackets mounted on the rearward side thereof in a horizontally spaced-apart fashion. A second tube, having first and second ends, has its first end slidably received within the first tube. A first clamp assembly is pivotally secured to the first end of the first tube and a second clamp assembly is pivotally secured to the second end of the second tube. The first and second clamp assemblies are adapted to be secured to the first and second A-arm suspensions of the ATV, respectively. The rearward ends of the push arms of the blade are pivotally secured to the first and second brackets by means of shear pins. The fact that the second tube is slidably mounted in the first tube enables the first and second clamp assemblies to be secured to the A-arm suspensions of various ATVs regardless of the horizontal spacing of the A-arm suspensions. Further, the telescopic reception of the second tube within the first tube enables the mounting system of this invention to accommodate suspension travel.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved universal mounting system for attaching a blade to an ATV or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a universal mounting system of the type described which accommodates suspension travel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a universal mounting system of the type described which employs telescoping tubes so that the system may be mounted on various makes and models of ATVs.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a universal mounting system of the type described which includes a shear pin means for attaching the rearward ends of the push tubes of the blade to the system.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an ATV having the universal blade mounting system of this invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a partial front perspective view illustrating the universal blade mounting system of this invention together with a portion of a blade and an ATV;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the universal blade mounting system of this invention mounted on the rearward end of a blade;

FIG. 4 is a rear partially exploded perspective view of the universal blade mounting system of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a front partially exploded perspective view of the universal blade mounting system of this invention together with its relationship with the rearward end of a pair of push tubes; and

FIG. 6 is a partial rear view of an ATV having the blade mounting system of this invention mounted thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The numeral 10 refers generally to an off-road vehicle such as an all terrain vehicle (ATV), which may be two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. ATV 10 includes a forward end 12, rearward end 14, a right side 16, and a left side 18. The numeral 20 refers generally to a blade assembly which is secured to the ATV. The blade assembly 20 also includes means for pivoting the blade 22 of the blade assembly 20 about a vertical axis and includes conventional means for raising and lowering the blade 22 with respect to the ATV 10.

The conventional blade assembly 20 includes a pair of rearwardly extending push tubes which will be identified as a right push tube 24 and a left push tube 26. In the conventional blade attachments, the push tubes are secured to the frame of the ATV or to the rear hitch of the ATV through suitable connections.

Applicant's universal blade mounting system or structure or apparatus is referred to generally by the reference numeral 28 and provides a means for connecting the push tubes 24 and 26 to the right A-arm suspension 30 and the left A-arm suspension 32, respectively, which operatively connect the right front wheel 34 and the left front wheel 36 to the frame of the ATV 10 to provide suspension therefore. The inner ends of the A-arm suspensions 30 and 32 are pivotally connected to the frame members 34 and 36 of the ATV 10. The suspension systems 30 and 32 are referred to as single A-arm suspensions but it should be noted that in some suspension systems, the A-arm suspensions are comprised of upper and lower A-arms. In either case, the universal blade mounting system of this invention is secured to the lowermost A-arms.

System or apparatus 28 includes a first elongated hollow tube 38 having an outer end 40 and an inner end 42. Brackets 44 and 46 are secured to the rearward side of tube 38 by welding or the like and comprise a pair of spaced-apart ears or plates adapted to receive the shear pins 48 and 50 therein, as will be described hereinafter.

The numeral 52 refers to an elongated tube having an outer end 54 and an inner end 56. The inner end 56 of tube 52 is slidably received within tube 38. The numeral 58 refers to a clamp assembly which includes a lower clamp portion 60 and an upper clamp portion 62. As seen in FIG. 5, lower clamp portion 60 includes a pair of downwardly extending plates 64 and 66 having suitable openings formed in the lower end thereof adapted to receive pin 68. Lower clamp portion 60 is pivotally secured to the end 40 of tube 38 by means of the pin 68 extending through the openings in the plates 64 and 66 and the opening 70 in tube 38 to provide the pivotal connection therebetween. As seen in FIG. 5, the base portion 72 of lower clamp portion 60 has a plurality of spaced-apart openings 74 formed therein which are adapted to register with the spaced-apart openings 76 in upper clamp portion 62 so that the clamp assembly 58 may be clamped onto the arms of A-arm suspension 32. The various spaced-apart openings in the clamp portions 60 and 62 enable the clamp assembly to accommodate various A-arm suspensions of varying dimensions and enable a choice of where the clamp assembly 58 is secured to the two arms of the A-arm suspension 32. Bolts 78 and 80 are provided for securing the clamp portions 60 and 62 together on the lower and upper portions of the A-arm suspension 32. Lower clamp portion 60 is provided with an upwardly extending shoulder or abutment 82 at its forward end which will engage the forwardmost arm of the A-arm suspension 32 to limit the movement of the clamp assembly 58 with respect to the suspension 32. Similarly, a clamp assembly 58′ is pivotally secured to the end 54 of tube 52 for clamping onto the A-arm suspension 30.

A U-shaped member 84 is welded to the rearward ends of the push tubes 24 and 26 and has upwardly extending ears 86 and 88 provided at the opposite ends thereof which are pivotally secured to the brackets 44 and 46, respectively, by means of the shear pins 48 and 50.

The fact that the tube 52 is slidably received within the tube 38 enables the structure 28 to be longitudinally adjusted to fit the spaced-apart A-arm suspensions on the ATV 10 regardless of the make or model thereof. Further, the fact that the tube 52 is slidably received within the tube 28 accommodates suspension travel since the front wheels of the ATV tend to move towards one another or move away from one another depending upon the movement of the A-arm suspensions.

If the blade should strike an obstruction while being used, the rearward force of the push tubes 24 and 26 will cause the pins 48 and 50 to shear so that the push arms will separate from the structure 28 to prevent damage to the suspension 30 and 32.

It can therefore be seen that a novel universal blade mounting system has been provided for use with an ATV which enables blades to be attached to A-arm suspension systems of varying specifications.

Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 

1. A universal mounting system for attaching a blade, including first and second push tubes, having rearward and forward ends, to an off-road vehicle having first and second front wheels which are supported by first and second A-arm suspensions, respectively, comprising: a first elongated hollow tube having first and second ends; a second tube, having first and second sides; said first and second tubes having forward and rearward sides; said first end of said second tube being slidably received by said second end of said first tube; a first clamp assembly secured to said first end of said first tube; a second clamp assembly secured to said second end of said second tube; said first and second clamp assemblies being selectively attached to said first and second A-arm suspensions, respectively; the rearward ends of said first and second push tubes being selectively pivotally connected to said first tube.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first clamp assembly is pivotally connected to said first tube about a horizontal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said first tube and wherein said second clamp assembly is pivotally connected to said second tube about a horizontal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said second tube.
 3. The system of claim 1 first and second spaced-apart brackets are secured to said first tube and wherein pins pivotally connect the rearward ends of the push tubes and said first and second brackets.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein said pins are shear pins.
 5. The system of claim 3 wherein an elongated support member is secured to the rearward ends of the push tubes and has upstanding end portions, said pins extending through said upstanding end portions and said brackets to connect the push arms to the said first tube.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second brackets are secured to the forward side of said first tube.
 7. The system of claim 5 wherein said first and second brackets are secured to the forward side of said first tube.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second clamp assemblies includes a lower clamp member which is secured to the respective first or second tube and an upper clamp member which is bolted to the associate lower clamp member.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein each of said lower clamp members has an upstanding forward end portion for limiting the rearward movement of the clamp assembly with respect to the associated A-arm suspension.
 10. The system of claim 8 wherein each of said lower and upper clamp members are provided with a plurality of openings formed therein to permit the adjustment of the bolting of the clamp members together. 